Downside of New Mammogram Guidelines

 Despite the differing positions of the U.S. Services Task Force and the physicians themselves, are women willing to undergo regular mammogram tests for their health's sake? Since it is they who will either suffer or benefit from stopping or continuing mammogram tests, the decision must come from them as well.

This is following the new U.S. breast imaging guidelines, recommending against routine screening mammograms for women in their 40s. Critics fear the change roots from the current drive for health care reform, and not to ensure women's safety against breast cancer. They say it is a step backward that would lead to more deaths of the said type of cancer.

The critics are concerned that both the public and private insurers would use the guidelines to trim health costs, rationing care at the end of the day. As a result, breast cancer deaths might go up again. When regular mammogram screening began in 1990, deaths dropped by up to 30 percent.

Experts are firm on holding on to the old guidelines and continuing recommendations on routine mammograms. However, this change will surely have an effect on women's view of the importance of these routine checks. Dr. Len Lichtenfeld is worried that they could become confused by the conflicting recommendations and actually stop altogether - the worst thing that could happen.

Doctors are concerned that private insurance companies and government insurers will control the rise of health costs by seizing recommendations. They could say, we are not going to pay for the mammogram tests because even the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force doesn't support it. They will have a scapegoat not to cover the regular screenings.

The inconsistency of the recommendations with the current science shows an apparent attempt to simply reduce costs. Sadly, however, women may pay for it with their own lives. And this is more likely to happen. Besides the influence of the agency as well as of the insurers, women may take the screening for granted over other important expenditures, especially now that the economy is down.


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